


garreg mach hs dept. of drama

by janie_mae



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Byleth is the new drama teacher, Coming of Age, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Hijinks & Shenanigans, M/M, Mutual Pining, Theater AU, no beta we die like Glenn, the kids are all drama students
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:20:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28257576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janie_mae/pseuds/janie_mae
Summary: Edelgard von Hresvelg is a junior at Garreg Mach High School about to start her spring semester. She has all but abandoned her dream of pursuing theater, however, the sudden appearance of an intriguing new teacher may change her mind. Felix Fraldarius keeps his head down and watches the friend he's long been infatuated with from a safe distance. Lysithea von Ordelia wishes everyone would just shut up and do as she says so this all might go a little smoother.(high school AU. Byleth is the drama teacher and the kids are the drama students. Edelgard, Felix, and Lysithea centric but everyone's there)Features Heathers: The Musical
Relationships: Annette Fantine Dominic/Lysithea von Ordelia, Background Hilda/Marianne - Relationship, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth- one sided, Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra, Minor or Background Relationship(s), background Linspar - Relationship
Comments: 3
Kudos: 33





	1. who's that with Heather?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter title: "Beautiful"- Heathers the Musical
> 
> btw Edelgard is still 17 in this fic, so her infatuation with Byleth is one-sided. I have a companion piece planned that would take place later, but who knows if I'll ever get to that :)
> 
> this fic is probably going to be in the ballpark of 30k words

Edelgard groaned in frustration and looked up from her phone. The first day of the semester started in 15 minutes and Dorothea still wasn't responding to her desperate texts. Dorothea was chronically late for everything, but she had sworn up and down that "it would be different this year." _So much for that_ , El thought bitterly. From her parked car, she scanned the outside of Thea's house for any signs of life. When none appeared, Edelgard sent her a final pleading "where are you?", waited 30 seconds, and moved to put her red mini cooper in drive.

"WAIT EDIE! I'M HEREEE!" Edelgard looked up to see Dorothea sprinting across her front lawn, bag and jacket askew. Her long dark curls flew around wildly as she bounded across the grass. She pulled up short in front of the car and heaved the door open. 

"Edie I am so so sorry!" she gasped, out of breath, "I overslept! And I would have just run out you know, but I had to find a cute outfit for the first day back!" Dorothea smiled awkwardly, clearly begging for forgiveness. This 'cute outfit' consisted of an oversized denim jacket over a sweater, a short tennis skirt and black doc martens. She had accessorized with several necklaces and rings, as well as a black beanie that had nearly fallen off her head while she sprinted. _No wonder it took her so long_ , El thought. Despite the inconvenience, El begrudgingly admitted to herself that it was quite stylish.

Edelgard sighed heavily. "It's fine, Thea, just get in the car." Dorothea grinned and quickly clambered inside, tossing her bag unceremoniously into the backseat.

"I really am sorry, Edie. I swear it won't happen again!" Dorothea declared as Edelgard started pulling out of the driveway. El smiled to herself, knowing this promise to be entirely false. 

"Don't worry about it. It just means we won't have time for a coffee run today," El stated simply. Dorothea pouted but (thankfully) didn't complain.

The rest of the drive to Garreg Mach was occupied by Dorothea chattering about the upcoming semester. Edelgard was only half listening as she watched the scenery of Fódlan slide past the windows. Fódlan was a mid-sized city in the center of the state, with a distinctly historic feel. Dense woods, narrow streets, and old brick houses were abundant. Unfortunately, the scenic views were doing little to quell El's anxiety about the upcoming term.

"Edie? Are you listening?" Dorothea's question brought Edelgard out of her reprieve as they pulled into the parking lot of Garreg Mach. The school was just as old as the rest of the city and was in dire need of repairs and funding that, as long as the notoriously stingy school board got their way, would never be forthcoming. The outside of the building was still impressive, with an imposing three story brick edifice. El put the car in park and turned to face Dorothea.

"Sorry, what were you asking?"

"I asked if you wanted to walk to drama with me," Dorothea huffed as she rolled her eyes fondly. Edelgard felt her stomach drop to her feet. This was the question she had been dreading all morning.

"Yeah about that," Edelgard started hesitantly, "I'm actually not taking drama this semester."

'WHAT?" Dorothtea's screech was loud enough to startle several nearby students, "WHAT DO YOU _MEAN_ YOU'RE NOT TAKING DRAMA?!"

"I'm sorry, Dorothea, but I just couldn't stand it anymore. Face it: the program is terrible. We don't have any money. They change teachers every year. I-" Edelgard faltered, "I just couldn't do it. The Garreg Mach Theater Department can't prepare me to apply to collegiate theater programs. I had to make the practical choice." Edelgard spat out her rehearsed response and glanced up at Dorothea, who was completely aghast.

"But Edie," Dorothea said imploringly, "you _love_ theater. It's been your dream since forever! Why abandon it now?" Dorothea looked on the brink of tears. Edelgard sighed and glanced at the clock on her car's dash. They only had five minutes to get to class.

"We've got to get going," she said dismissively as she started collecting her things. Dorothea looked displeased, but she got out of the car and retrieved her bag from the back. She came up beside El as they walked towards the building, clearly waiting for Edelgard to continue explaining her motivations.

Edelgard took a steadying breath. She had agonized over this decision for weeks, and now that it was made, she would not waver from it.

“Trust me, it was no easy choice. But the reality is, a professional theater career is a pipe dream,” El began as she and Thea walked through the front doors of GMHS. The interior of the school was as old as the outside, with paneled walls and hardwood floors. It had been a private school for a long time but had become a public high school a decade prior when the owners of the school decided to sell it to the city. Since then, funding had dried up, and most of the money went to upkeep on the building and profitable programs like the football team.

“I’m top of the class. It only makes sense that I apply to Ivies for academic programs and stop wasting time with a pointless and ineffectual drama department. I mean, our last teacher was arrested for dealing weed to the students.” 

“Is it you making this choice, or is it your advisor?”

Edelgard frowned. Of course Dorothea would cut straight to the point. “So what if it is? Doesn’t mean he’s wrong”

Dorothea hmphed, clearly disagreeing. Edelgard sighed internally. It was an easy decision for Dorothea; she had the voice of an angel and serious acting abilities to boot. Her talent and Manuela’s instruction could get her into any program she wanted. _Plus,_ Edelgard thought bitterly, _she doesn’t have years of built-up expectations to contend with_. 

"But-," Dorothea started, "All your friends are in theater. Won't you miss them?"

"Of course I'll miss them, Dorothea. Don't you think I've considered that?" Edelgard snapped. Dorothea's eyes widened and she dropped her gaze to the floor.

"Right-obviously," She stuttered, "Of course you wouldn't take this lightly." 

Edelgard screwed her eyes shut. _Shit_. She hadn't meant to lash out. In truth, the prospect of leaving her friends had given Edelgard more pause than anything else. She would still see them in class and in the halls, but it wouldn't be the same as being with them every morning as she had for two and a half years. She had told herself that it didn't matter, that she would make new friends in college anyway, but it hadn't really worked. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that." An awkward silence fell over them while they traversed the scratched hardwood floors. As they passed through the math wing, Edelgard spotted Lysithea and Annette, two precocious freshmen in drama, arguing loudly over the correct answers to the algebra homework. _Figures_. 

Eventually, Dorothea decided to break the silence. “Well.. if you’re not taking drama, what do you have first period?”

“I’m taking art with Hubert,” El said shortly. She had always liked drawing and had thought it would be an easy class to balance out the rest of her workload.

“Oh, that’ll be nice I suppose," Dorothea said. She fell quiet for a second as the girls rounded the corner to the arts hallway. “Will you at least meet the new drama teacher with me before you go to class? Maybe they’ll change your mind!" she asked, brightening up.

“I seriously doubt that, and besides, I need to get to class.”

Dorothea rolled her eyes, exasperated. “C’mon Edie, please? I heard she’s Coach Eisner’s daughter!”

That caught Edelgard’s attention. “Really? I didn’t know he even had a daughter”

“Well the name on my schedule says B. Eisner, and Leonie mentioned once that she’d met his daughter, and that she was-“ Dorothea was cut off by the one minute warning bell as Edelgard stopped outside the door to the art classroom. El gave Dorothea a pointed look while the bell blared.

“I’m sure she’ll be an interesting teacher, but we have to do this aft-“ Dorothea suddenly reached out and seized Edelgard by the wrist.

“Dorothea, what are you _doing_?” El asked frantically as Dorothea dragged her down the crowded hallway. Edelgard struggled to get her hand free but Dorothea held on too tightly. El realized that Dorothea was pulling her towards Room 016, the drama class, and started Dorothea fighting harder. Dorothea ignored Edelgard and confidently marched both of them into the class.

The classroom had not changed a bit since the last semester. It was a rather small room with a raised platform in the back. The desks were arranged in a cramped circle in the middle of the class. The floor was coated in a thick layer of dust, and boxes of props, costumes, and stage makeup were strewn about everywhere. Signatures and messages had been scrawled on the walls by students long since graduated, and it smelled distinctly of hairspray. Most of the students were already at their desks, many clearly half asleep (or in Linhardt's case, entirely asleep). The only thing different about this familiar scene was the woman standing at the front of the class, writing her name on the chalkboard.

Edelgard and Dorothea's rather obnoxious entrance drew the attention of the students and the new teacher, who turned around to face them. And Edelgard felt her jaw drop. 

The woman standing in front of them, who couldn't have been more than 5 years Edelgard's senior, was _beautiful_. She had pale skin and choppy shoulder length hair that she'd dyed a dark blue color. Her uneven bangs fell just above her eyes, which were a deep blue that looked almost purple. She wasn't supermodel gorgeous, but she was striking. And she was looking directly at El.

 _Fuck_. This was the only variable she hadn't accounted for.

"Hiii, you must be Ms Eisner! I'm Dorothea, and this is Edelgard." Dorothea's voice sounded so far away. Edelgard suddenly realized that she was just staring at a teacher with her mouth hanging open and clamped her jaw shut. She felt a deep flush rise to her cheeks.

"I'm in your class, but Edelgard is only visiting. She's taking-"

"I'M TAKING DRAMA." El blurted, and immediately cringed internally. _Oh my god, did I just shout that?_ Ms Eisner looked at her with confusion bordering on concern.

"Wait, you are?" Dorothea asked, a mischievous smile on her face, "But you just said-"

"I'm taking drama," El reiterated sternly, staring Dorothea down. Thea looked like she was struggling to hold back laughter. El took a deep breath to compose herself and turned to address Ms Eisner.

"There's just been a schedule mix up. I'm going to the office to get it fixed right now; I'll be back shortly." With that, El turned and marched right out of the room. She heard Dorothea snort out laughter as she walked away. _I'm going to kill her_. 

The final bell rang as El was hurrying to the front office. It occurred to her that this may be the singular most ridiculous reason ever to request a schedule change. The new teacher hadn't even said a word to El for god's sake. _It's fine_ , El thought frantically, _I don't have to do the spring show. It's just one more semester_.

Catherine looked up from the front desk as Edelgard walked into the office. "Edelgard! What can I help you with?", she asked loudly. 

"I need a schedule change. It's urgent" 

Catherine frowned, "Ok..what do you want changed?"

"I want to drop art and take theater instead."

Catherine's frown deepened. "Didn't you and Seteth talk about this? I thought you two agreed that you wanted to change directions."

Edelgard fought the instinct to roll her eyes. "Yes, we did discuss it. However, I have changed my mind. I really want to take theater this semester."

"Ok then, if you're sure!" Catherine said jovially as she tapped on her keyboard, "It will take a little while for the system to process the schedule change, so you can just head back to class for now and it will update by tomorrow." Edelgard nodded, thanked Catherine, and practically ran back to the theater classroom.

El quietly slipped back into the room and sat down at a desk between Dorothea and Ferdinand. A few heads turned as she entered but most of the students were listening to their teacher. Eisner was in the middle of introducing herself to the class. Edelgard peered around her to steal a quick glance at the chalkboard where she had written her full name: _Byleth Eisner_. 

"And as many of you probably guessed, Coach Eisner is my dad. But you guys don't have to call me Ms Eisner, just Byleth is fine," she concluded. "Does anyone have any questions?"

Hilda spoke without raising her hand, "Um is this your first year teaching? Because you look really young."

"Yes it is; I've never taught before. Principal Rhea asked me to step in as a favor."

"Principal Rhea requested you specifically?" Hilda gasped, "You must have a lot of experience acting then. Were you like, a child actor on Broadway?"

Byleth bit her lip. "I've never really acted before, either. I was a political science major. I really don't know why she hired me." 

El felt the blood drain from her face. _Oh my god,_ she thought, _What have I gotten myself into? She's never taught OR acted before?_ El resisted the instinct to slam her forehead against the desk. An uncomfortable hush fell over the class that was only broken by the sound of Felix Fraldarius' voice.

"That cinches it", he laughed sarcastically, "Rhea is running us into the ground on purpose."


	2. college will be paradise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth tries to run their first class. Felix is unimpressed (as always). 
> 
> features a tiny bit of dimiclaude

“That cinches it,” Felix laughed sarcastically, “Rhea is running us into the ground on purpose.”

Byleth frowned, her eyebrows furrowing. “Thanks for the vote of confidence...?”

"Felix”

Annette piped up from the back of the room. “What are you talking about, Felix? Why would Principal Rhea do that?”, she asked, tilting her head. 

"Why?”, Felix repeated, “I don’t know. But just this semester she’s cut the technical theater class and hired a drama teacher with zero experience or training.” The cut to the tech class was the only reason Felix was there in the first place. He and the rest of the students had received a curt email from Rhea over the break announcing that not enough people had signed up to justify continuing to offer the class. Most of them had dropped drama entirely, but he, Bernadetta, and Lysithea had switched into the acting class. In truth, the tech class had been a complete and utter waste of time, and Felix wouldn't have missed it, except-

"Don't be like that, Felix. I'm sure our lovely new teacher will do great," Sylvain interjected, winking at Byleth. _Ugh_. As if being stuck in class with Sylvain all semester wasn't already bad enough. Now he was going to spend the whole time flirting with their new teacher right in front of him. _I never should have let Ingrid convince me to take this class._

"Ok why don't we move on?" Byleth asked, trying to regain control of the class. "Let's go around the room and have everyone introduce themselves. Uh...tell me your name, grade, and your favorite show. And we'll start with you, with the red hair."

Sylvain smiled lasciviously at Byleth. Felix imagined punching him in the face. "My name is Sylvain Gautier. I'm a senior, and uh," he scratched the back of his neck, "my favorite show is Hamilton I guess."

Felix sat up a little straighter and addressed the class, ninety percent of whom already knew him. "Felix Fraldaruis. Junior. Favorite show is probably Miss Saigon," he said brusquely. He sat back in his seat and cast his eyes at the wall behind Byleth's head. Ingrid introduced herself from her spot to his left, then Dimitri, and it went around the class from there. Felix didn't miss the way that Edelgard's face turned crimson when it was her turn to introduce herself. _At least I'm not that obvious_.

Felix's strongest objection to joining drama had been the fact that he would be spending an entire class with Sylvain every single day. Felix could hardly handle seeing him when he hung out with Ingrid and Dimitri after school. Sylvain's presence only made Felix's indelible infatuation more salient, to the point that he could hardly focus on anything else. The only way to mitigate it was to avoid seeing Sylvain as much as possible.

Across the room, Leonie was giving a verbose explanation of her personal history with Coach Jeralt, including descriptions of the multiple state field hockey competitions that she had won with his guidance. 

"Does Leonie think she's impressing Byleth with this? Because she looks far from pleased," Sylvain whispered as he leaned in close to Felix. He could feel Sylvain's breath on the back of his neck. _I must be a masochist_. Felix exhaled sharply through his nose in silent laughter, and Sylvain pulled back.

The rest of the class passed without incident, as Byleth handed out textbooks and instructed them to brainstorm potential shows for the spring musical, which they would vote on Friday. It was exceedingly obvious that she knew almost nothing about theater and barely recognized some of the most popular musicals of the last half century. None of it boded well for the future of the drama department (not that Felix gave a shit about that).

She gave them the last few minutes of class to chat amongst themselves.

"So, Felix," Sylvain asked as they packed up their things, "You're coming to Ingrid's birthday party, right?"

Felix scoffed. "Of course. But don't expect me to stay the whole time, especially if anyone starts singing." Ingrid's actual 18th birthday was the day after tomorrow, but they wouldn't celebrate until that Friday night.

"You can't be friends with only theater kids and expect no one to sing at a party, Felix. It's just unrealistic," Ingrid said, laughter in her eyes. Felix supposed she had a point, but he'd never tell her that. Ingrid turned to Sylvain. "What do you have second period?"

Sylvain dug a crumpled piece of paper from his jacket pocket and unfolded it roughly. "Calculus," he answered, making a disgusted face. "Can't wait to fail that one." Felix rolled his eyes, knowing that Sylvain was exaggerating how bad he was at math. Few seniors would even choose to take calculus. The bell rang as Sylvain was shoving his schedule back into his pocket.

"I'm going that way, too. Do you want to walk together?" Felix asked, trying to seem disinterested in Sylvain's answer.

Sylvain shook his head. "I'd love to Felix, but I promised Jenny I would meet her before class. Maybe next time?" he asked, smiling weakly. _Who the hell is Jenny?_ Felix thought bitterly. He opened his mouth to respond, but Sylvain had already rushed from the room. Dimitri and Ingrid hurried out after him.

"Sorry Felix! English is on the other side of the building," Ingrid called as she left. "We'll catch you after school!"

Felix picked up his bag and stood from his desk, finding himself alone in the classroom. The silence inside contrasted sharply with the din of the arts hallway. "What am I even _doing_ here?" he muttered under his breath.

"Sorry, what was that?" Byleth asked from her desk.

"Nothing," Felix replied, and walked from the room.

* * *

Felix didn't see his friends again until the end of the day when he traipsed across the parking lot to Dimitri's car. Before this year, Glenn had been Felix's ride to school, but he and his car had departed for Faerghus State that fall. Felix's dad hadn't wanted to insure another teenage driver and he'd rather die than take the bus, so Dimitri it had been.

"Hey, Felix," Ingrid greeted as he slid into the car, "We were going to go to Wendy's if you don't mind." 

"Yeah sure," Felix answered unenthusiastically. He really just wanted to go home and get started on his work.

Dimitri started pulling out of his parking space and then stopped abruptly, swearing. Felix turned around and saw that another car had nearly hit them. He recognized it immediately as Hilda's Jeep Wrangler. _Of course_.

Hilda rolled down the window. "Oops! Sorry about that, Dimitri," she said with a wink. Claude grinned at them from the passenger seat. Dimitri waved them on, and Hilda peeled out of the lot, tires squealing on the pavement. Ingrid watched them go with her eyes narrowed.

"Do you think Hilda and Claude are dating?"

"Wh-what?" Dimitri stammered.

"Who cares," Felix said dryly.

"I'm just saying they spend a lot of time together," Ingrid continued. "It would make sense." Dimitri frowned, seemingly puzzled by this analysis.

"You spend a lot of time with Sylvain," Felix countered.

Ingrid made a face, sticking out her tongue. "Alright, you've got a point there."

They drove to Wendy's in relative silence, already drained from their first day back at school. Ingrid ordered an entire meal for herself, as per usual. They took their food to a grease-stained table at the back of the restaurant, brushing dirtied napkins onto the floor before sitting down.

"So," Ingrid began through a mouthful of food, "what did you guys think of the new drama teacher?"

Dimitri grimaced. "While I'll admit that I have serious reservations, I'm hopeful that she will steer us in a better direction."

Felix shook his head. "We should just quit now. I doubt the program will survive to see the fall."

Ingrid listlessly dipped a french fry in ketchup, eyes downcast. "I hate to say it Felix, but I think you might be right. We need a miracle." Felix could tell that Ingrid was legitimately troubled by the thought of the department shutting down. She and Dimitri had been active participants in theater since middle school, while Felix and Sylvain had signed up in high school. Felix had only done so to have something to get him out of the house after the fencing season ended. He had decided to work the lights for the shows because it only required him to interact with two people on a regular basis: the director and the soundboard operator who also worked in the booth. Bernadetta had evidently had the same idea when she signed up for sound.

Sylvain had joined as a freshman specifically to meet girls, but over the years he had somehow managed to cultivate an actual talent for dramatic arts.

Dimitri gave Ingrid an affectionate pat on the shoulder. "We don't need a miracle; we just need the students to start caring about the program again. Most of the kids are very dedicated and hardworking, but they lack motivation." Felix seriously doubted that.

Ingrid's cellphone buzzed on the table.

She put down her burger to check it. "It's Sylvain. He wants me to come over and help him with some college application stuff. Do you mind driving me over there?" she asked. 

Dimitri nodded sagely. "Of course. If Sylvain needs our help, we should provide it."

Felix groaned. "What's the point? No amount of help is going to save him from community college." 

Ingrid frowned. "Felix, that isn't kind. Sylvain's very smart."

"Of course he's smart. The problem is that he's a terrible student," Felix shot back. Ingrid continued to glare at him.

"Fine," he relented, "let's just go."

After finishing their food, they disposed of their trash and hurried out of the restaurant into the frigid January air. The wind was blowing fiercely in their faces, turning their cheeks red. 

Felix stared out the window as they drove along the winding road towards Sylvain's house. All the streets in Fódlan were narrow and difficult to navigate, as they had been constructed before the invention of cars. It was snowing lightly. Felix dedicated his attention to the white flurries swirling through the wind and tried to block out the sound of Dimitri and Ingrid's chatter.

The fact that Sylvain was in the midst of college applications seemed impossible to Felix. It felt like just yesterday the four of them had been playing make-believe in Ingrid's basement and having sleepovers every weekend. The thought that it would soon be just the three of them was- weird. And even though Sylvain's grades were hardly impressive, his acting ability was nothing to scoff at. He talked ad nauseam about going to college in California for acting, and Felix imagined he'd move out to LA permanently soon enough. _Maybe it's for the best,_ he thought, _then I could finally get over this stupid crush_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much to everyone who left kudos!! it really means the world :)


	3. she is a mythic b*tch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lysithea and Annette get into a spat; Byleth and the students take a tour of the stage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this chapter was a bit late I got distracted the other day when the capitol was stormed... anyway hope you enjoy!

"Um, Lysithea?"

Lysithea looked up from the biology homework she'd been staring at so long she'd gone cross-eyed. Annette was standing in front of Lysithea's seat in the Garreg Mach library, her usual earnest smile on her face. Lysithea and Annette had been casual acquaintances for years, but had only really gotten to know one another the previous semester when they had both joined the drama class. Annette was a thoughtful and amiable girl, if a little too upbeat for Lysithea's taste. 

"Oh, hi Annette. Is there something I can help you with?" Lysithea asked tersely.

"Um, yeah!" she said brightly, "I was wondering if you could help me with number five on the pre-calc homework? I'm a little stuck."

Lysithea sighed. "Sure. But I don't have long; I need to finish this bio work before first period." Lysithea glanced down at her phone to check the time. Only a few minutes left until the bell rang and she had several complicated equations left.

"Awesome, thank you so much!" Annette said with a huge smile as she dropped down into one of the chairs at the wooden library table Lysithea occupied every morning before class. She always did as much of her homework before class as possible to allow herself more time to study after school, even on Friday mornings like this one. Garreg Mach's library was a captivating sight, containing scores of mahogany bookshelves piled high with interesting and unique volumes pleasantly weathered from years of use. The high ceilings made it feel spacious and arid. It was Lysithea's favorite place in the whole building.

"I already did the bio homework if you need help!" Annette added.

"Thank you. Now, what's confusing you about number five?"

Annette pulled out her math notebook, flipping to that week's assignment. "I don't know. I'm sure the issue is staring me right in the face but I can't seem to pinpoint it," she said, pouting.

"Here, let me see...Oh, you forgot to note that the square root could be negative or positive seven."

"Oh, you're right! Silly me," Annette said, laughing, "You really have a knack for this! I wish I was as good at math as you."

Lysithea scoffed. "I don't just have a _knack_ , I spent forever on that assignment yesterday."

Annette looked taken aback. "I didn't mean it like that!" she said imploringly. "I wasn't insinuating that you aren't hardworking!"

"I'm not coasting by on pure talent Annette, I work just as hard as you if not _harder!_ "

"I never suggested that you were!"

Lysithea shook her head dismissively. "Whatever."

Annette opened her mouth to say something else, but she was interrupted by the librarian aggressively shushing them. Lysithea hastily packed up her things, shoving them sloppily into her bag.

She stormed off without a backwards glance.

Lysithea was halfway across the school when it occurred to her that she had perhaps been a little out of line. _Ugh_. Though, it wasn't Lysithea's fault, really. She and Annette were top of the freshman class. Why should she be expected to help the competition? Didn't Annette understand that she had precious little time to waste tutoring? Flawless grades did _not_ come without work and sacrifice. 

Lysithea's head was still whirling with thoughts several minutes later when Byleth began class. 

"So," Byleth began as the last few stragglers entered the classroom, "I was thinking today you guys could show me around the stage before we vote on the show. I want to make sure we choose something within our capabilities." Lysithea cringed internally. The backstage area looked more like a city dump than a functioning theater. 

"Good idea Teach," Claude interjected from his seat behind Lysithea, "but it's not pretty back there."

Byleth nodded. "So I've heard, unfortunately, but I'm sure we'll be able to fix it up." Byleth started for the door and motioned for the students to follow. The students clambered out of their chairs, knocking elbows and knees in the process. Hilda groaned dramatically. _It's as if simply requesting that she stand up is too much_ , Lysithea thought. She scurried up to Byleth as the class spilled out into the arts hallway, pointedly avoiding making eye contact with Annette.

"Excuse me, Ms Byleth?"

"Yes, Lysithea?"

"I can help show you around; I was the assistant stage manager last semester," Lysithea stated enthusiastically. She had been the ASM under Hapi, who had been the de facto leader of the tech crew until she, Constance, and Yuri had made an unceremonious exit over the winter break. Lysithea supposed that left her in charge now, since Felix didn't care enough and Bernadetta wouldn't accept a leadership position if her life depended on it.

"Thank you, Lysithea, I'd appreciate it," Byleth responded with a nod and a small smile. They turned towards the double doors across the hall that lead into the auditorium. The paint on the doors had rubbed off, leaving the message, "S AGE OOR" behind. Byleth pushed them open, the students following quickly behind.

The temperature immediately dropped at least ten degrees.

"Ugh," Dorothea groaned, shivering, "I really didn't miss this."

The students clustered around Byleth in the middle of the auditorium. Byleth cast her eyes around the room, frowning. Lysithea knew it wasn't impressive. It had never been renovated for one thing, and it was always colder than the arctic. There was trash on the floor and stains on the seat cushions. Despite that, it was clear that it had once been quite grand. Back in its days as a private school, Garreg Mach had boasted an illustrious theater program. Lysithea wanted to restore the department to its former glory more than anything, and she was willing to put in the blood, sweat, and tears to make that happen. She only wished that her peers felt the same.

"Why is it so cold in here?" Byleth asked, looking troubled.

Edelgard sighed heavily. "It's because the room is so big that the administration doesn't want to pay to temperature control it properly. It's sweltering in here during the summer."

Byleth's eyebrows furrowed. "I guess that's an issue for another day. We don't need everyone to show me around. I'll take Edelgard and Lysithea; the rest of you can wait here in the auditorium seats."

Lysithea and Edelgard showed Byleth around the backstage area, which could be characterized as "disorganized," to put it mildly. Sundry old props and set pieces were strewn about everywhere in a clear violation of the fire code. A thick layer of dust had settled on the stage floor, which swirled around in the air and made them sneeze when disturbed. There was a creaky old set of stairs that lead up to the storage area for the larger set pieces, which included the infamous couch where students made out during the shows. Last semester, Caspar and Linhardt had gotten so distracted that Caspar missed two of his scenes. He didn't really seem to regret it, though.

As they wound through the mess, Byleth made notes in a small leather notebook where she had written the list of musicals the students had come up with the day before. The darkness of backstage softened her features and made her appear even younger than she was. _How in the world did she end up here?_ Lysithea wondered.

"Erm, what is this for?" Byleth asked, sounding concerned. Lysithea turned to see what she was looking at.

"Oh, that's the murder ladder," Lysithea replied.

Byleth said nothing, simply staring at her blankly.

"It's the ladder to the costume closet. We call it the murder ladder because it's really quite dangerous, and hard to climb." It was a 15-foot metal ladder attached to the wall that lead to a small landing currently occupied by stacks and stacks of cardboard boxes filled with costumes. The upperclassman had a betting pool on who would be the first person to fall off of it and break their spine.

Edelgard shook her head in disapproval. "I have no idea why that thing is still here. It's a lawsuit waiting to happen."

"I have to agree with you on that,” Byleth said, nodding. Lysithea could’ve sworn she saw a faint blush spread over Edelgard’s cheeks.

The backstage area also contained two small rooms used for quick changes, one on each side of the stage. The room on stage left contained piles of old cans of paint. The one on the right was exceedingly dark and featured the cloying scent of weed and cigarette smoke. It had been a favorite haunt of delinquent drama kids for years. _We should board this room up,_ Lysithea thought, _then maybe people would actually focus on what they're supposed to be doing_.

After peering into the quick-change rooms, Byleth turned to address Lysithea and Edelgard.

"What I'm gathering from this is that we need to do a smaller show that isn't technically complicated and doesn't require a huge cast or crew," she said. She dragged the toe of her boot along the wooden stage floor, drawing a smiley face in the dust.

"You're right Miss, but we also need something impressive and popular enough that it will draw a big crowd. We need as many ticket sales as possible, or we'll never crawl our way out of this mess!" Lysithea declared. It would be a difficult balance to strike for sure.

"Lysithea is correct, we need a crowd like we've never had before," Edelgard concurred, nodding her head.

Byleth smiled, inclining her head in Edelgard's direction. She made a few more notes in her journal, seemingly crossing out shows that wouldn't work. Once she had finished, the three of them made their way to the proscenium, stepping over wires and boxes of equipment. Byleth called for the rest of the class to come over to the stage and join them. The kids slowly rose from their seats and meandered down to the front.

"Ok, now that we're all-wait, are we missing someone?" Byleth asked as she surveyed the group. Lysithea scanned the crowd for a missing face, when Caspar slapped his hand to his forehead.

"Shit, Lin!" he yelled, before sprinting back to the middle of the auditorium to rouse Linhardt from where he had evidently passed out in his chair. Lysithea rolled her eyes. She wondered how many more times she'd have to lambast Linhardt for his abominable unprofessionalism before she finally got through to him.

Byleth cleared her throat. "Anyways, we're going to vote on the show now. The five options you all suggested that we could probably make work are 25th Annual, Waitress, Heathers, Legally Blonde, and Addams Family."

Annette's hand shot into the air. "Ms Byleth, we did Addam's Family last semester," she chirped. She was clearly looking anywhere except at Lysithea. She sighed internally.

"Four options, then. Everyone shut your eyes." 

Lysithea's eyes fell closed. Her actual favorite of those shows was 25th Annual, but she doubted that would pull the crowd they needed. The subject matter was rather childish, anyway.

"Raise your hand for 25th annual."

And besides, Lysithea didn't have time to waste on shows that would fail. She had to fix this _now_ or her only hobby would disappear forever.

"Raise your hand for Waitress."

Lysithea decided to vote for Heathers. _Maybe the egregious amount of cursing and inappropriate themes will get people interested in the show, and if not, at least the soundtrack is good._

"Raise your hand for Heathers." Lysithea's hand went in the air.

"Ok and finally raise your hand for Legally Blonde." Byleth paused as she tallied up the votes. "Alright eyes open. Heathers won."

Lysithea opened her eyes and looked around. Some of the kids seemed elated, including Dorothea and Sylvain, while Annette and Ignatz looked disappointed. Most were simply disinterested. Hilda was lying down across several auditorium seats with her head in Marianne's lap.

"Well," Sylvain began loudly, "I hope they pick someone cute to play my Veronica." Ingrid pretended to gag, sticking her finger in her mouth. _His infamy certainly isn't unfounded._

Lorenz frowned, looking incensed. "Who said _you_ were going to play Jason Dean?"

Sylvain opened his mouth to retort, but Byleth held up a hand to silence them. 

"That's enough. We'll have auditions next week on Thursday and Friday.

Edelgard turned to face Lysithea. "We'll have a lot of work to do for this production," she said, staring Lysithea down, "are you up to the task?"

Lysithea could tell by Edelgard's tone and piercing gaze that she really meant it. "Of course. Unlike some, _I_ am not afraid of hard work."

Edelgard smiled, seemingly satisfied with that answer.

Byleth moved slightly further upstage and faced the entire class. She cleared her throat. "Well, this isn't going to be easy, and I know that I only met you this week. And started teaching this week." She paused, looking slightly troubled by this, "But, I think that if everyone pulls together and works very hard, we will be able to pull this off. I know I'm not qualified for this position, but I want to help you guys save your drama department."

No one said a word. _They're too defeated,_ Lysithea thought angrily, _They've had their hopes dashed too many times._

"No offense Teach, but plenty of more experienced people have tried and failed. Miserably," Claude added unhelpfully.

"That kind of thinking isn't beneficial, Claude," Edelgard replied sternly.

"No, he's got a point," Felix said indignantly, "Why should we bother? What's the point?"

Byleth frowned, thinking.

A mischievous grin crossed her face. "Because," she said conspiratorially, "if you give up, you let the administration win." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the ladder is a real thing we had at my high school. 
> 
> also this fic isnt going to be at all sympathetic to rhea sorry not sorry


	4. big fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ingrid's birthday party. take a shot every time birthday cake is mentioned lol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is my favorite chapter so far! hope you enjoy :)

Felix could hear the pulsating music before he even made it to Ingrid's front steps. Cars were parked up and down the block, many of them clearly blocking driveways and fire hydrants. Dimitri and Felix approached the door of the townhouse that Ingrid had lived in since they were children. It was modestly sized, with a brick edifice and a cramped porch. Ingrid's bedroom window had easy access to the roof, where they used to spend humid summer nights sitting around and avoiding their parents. Dimitri pressed the doorbell.

No one answered. Dimitri awkwardly stood at Felix's side, still as a statue. Felix shivered.

"Should I ring it again-?"

"Shut up," Felix said, and began banging on the door with his fist. He continued to pound on the door in an attempt to be heard over the blaring music until it finally swung open to reveal a very disgruntled Ingrid.

"Who the hell is- oh Felix, of course it's you," she said.

"Hello, Ingrid! Happy birthday," Dimirti said pleasantly. Felix shouldered past Ingrid without saying anything. 

"Thank you for the warm greeting, Felix!" she called after him sarcastically, "You're such a pleasant and attentive friend!"

Felix ignored her, choosing instead to delve deeper into the party. The music reached a deafening crescendo now that he was in the house. Nearly everyone from the drama class was there, and then some. Felix deliberately walked past the living room, where it seemed that an impromptu karaoke competition had broken out. He instead headed for the kitchen where he figured he would find some peace and quiet. 

Or maybe not.

"Hi Felix!" Annette called from where she was standing next to the kitchen counter with Mercedes. "Welcome to the party!" It appeared that they were in the midst of baking Ingrid's birthday cake. Annette had flour on her forehead and nose, but either she didn't care or hadn't noticed yet. Most likely the latter. 

"Hello Annette. I hope you know that if that cake has chocolate on it I won't touch it."

"Oh, Lysithea would have your head for that!" she said jovially. A moment later, a shadow crossed her face, and she broke eye contact with Felix. 

"Is something wrong?"

"Oh, Annie had a bit of a fight with Lysithea this morning is all," Mercedes said sadly. Annette refused to look at either of them, choosing instead to viscously beat the cake batter with a spatula.

This struck Felix as slightly odd. Lysithea wasn't necessarily 'kind' by nature, but she rarely fought with her friends. Felix leaned up against the counter next to Annette. She was wearing a knee-length blue party dress. He idly wondered how long it would take for her to spill something on it, clumsy as she was. 

"Should I talk to her for you?" Felix drawled.

"No, it's _fine_ ", she said in a tone that clearly indicated that it was not fine.

"Fine then."

"Fine!" Annette practically screeched. She attacked the cake batter so aggressively that some of it splattered out of the bowl and onto her forearms. 

Felix just stared at her. "Ugh, I'm sorry Felix," she said dejectedly, "I'm just stressed out." Mercedes handed her a dish towel.

"Don't worry about it."

Annette clearly did not want to continue on that topic of conversation and switched to discussing schoolwork and classes. Felix took the glass cake pan out of the one of Ingrid's rickety kitchen cabinets and handed it to Mercedes. The two girls poured the cake batter into the pan and slid it into the oven, Annette slamming the oven door shut with her hip. The three of them were still chatting when an uproar came from the living room. It seemed that someone had put on an ABBA song.

"Oh, I _love_ this song!" Annette exclaimed. She seized Felix by the hand and eagerly dragged him down the hall towards the living room. Mercedes followed closely behind them. Felix contemplated wrenching out of her grip but decided against it, allowing Annette to pull him into the center of the birthday party.

The rest of the partygoers were squeezed into Ingrid's living room. Most were talking in small groups around the edge of the room, while their more outgoing friends were flailing around in the center of an impromptu dance floor that had been made by pushing the furniture back and out of the way. Dorothea, Hilda, and Sylvain were all 'dancing', if you could really call it that, while belting the lyrics to "Lay All Your Love on Me" at the top of their lungs. 

Sylvain and Dorothea had clasped hands and were swinging around wildly, singing in each other's faces. Felix tried very hard to tamp down the surge of jealousy he felt watching them. Sylvain released one of Dorothea's hands so he could twirl her around. That's was when he looked up and caught Felix staring. His face split into a goofy grin.

"Felix! You finally decided to join the party!" he yelled over the music. He gestured for Felix to come closer in to the dance floor. Felix stood resolutely still. 

Annette had let go of Felix to dance with Mercedes. More and more kids approached the dance floor, crowding around Felix. Hilda dragged Marianne to her feet, seemingly ignoring Marianne's protests against it.

Felix realized that this was his opportunity to slip away. Before he could get the chance, he felt a hand clasp him on the shoulder. 

"Oh no you don't! Cmon Felix you have to at least dance once at Ingrid's birthday party," Sylvain said breathlessly. He spun Felix around so that they were facing each other.

Felix debated whether or not fighting him on this was really worth the hassle. "If I say yes, will you leave me alone for the rest of the night?"

Sylvain grinned again and grabbed Felix by the hands as he had with Dorothea. He lead them backwards onto the dance floor, singing the whole time. Felix was silently glad that Sylvain didn't comment on the poignancy of the lyrics.

_Don't go wasting your emotion  
Lay all your love on me  
Don't go sharing your devotion  
Lay all your love on me_

Despite himself, Felix laughed. "You're ridiculous!" he yelled over Sylvain's voice and the music. Sylvain was still holding his hands, pulling on him as he twisted back and forth enthusiastically. Felix wasn't really moving, but he had to admit it was at least _slightly_ enjoyable to be surrounded by his friends and the pumping music. A half smile tugged at his lips.

Suddenly, Sylvain dropped one of his hands. His grin turned devilish. Felix was confused for a second before he realized that Sylvain meant to twirl him around.

"Sylvain don't-" he started, but it was too late; he was already spinning. He was only standing with his back flush to Sylvain for a second before Sylvain brought him back to their original position. Except, he had brought them far closer together than they had been before. They were practically nose to nose. Felix's heart pounded in his chest. His eyes involuntarily fell to Sylvain's mouth, only inches away from his own.

Sylvain's eyes widened, taking in their proximity. "Oops, sorry!" he said sheepishly as Felix jolted backwards as if he'd been shocked. He felt heat rising to his cheeks. 

Sylvain was giggling at his reaction. "Aw, Felix, you're so pink!"

Felix scowled at him. "You're insufferable." Sylvain only smiled.

Blessedly, he let it drop after that. The song faded out, only to be replaced immediately by another ABBA song. Felix excused himself from the floor, and true to his word, Sylvain let him go without a fight. He picked his way across the room to where Ingrid was holding court with Dimitri, Dedue, and Ashe. 

"Having a good time, Felix?" she asked. Felix felt his stomach drop to his feet. Had she seen him and Sylvain?

"Absolutely," he said testily, daring her to comment on it.

Ingrid seemed confused. "What's with that tone? I'm only asking you a question," she said, frowning at Felix. Oh. So she hadn't seen them. 

"Never mind," he said dismissively. "What were you guys talking about?"

Felix passed the next twenty minutes alternating between talking to his friends and staring at his phone. Drama kids cycled on and off the dance floor. They jumped up and down and whipped their heads back and forth to the music, their hair flying everywhere. Sneakers squealed against the wood flooring of Ingrid's living room, adding to the noise. Sylvain stayed on the floor the entire time. He danced with everyone who would let him approach them, including Annette, Mercedes, Hilda, Lysithea, and even Ashe. Felix tried not to let it sting, that Sylvain could dance with him without it meaning anything. It was simply the way he was. Felix would be a fool to dwell on it. 

Still, Felix wondered how long he would have to bear witness to Sylvain's flirtations. It didn't seem likely to stop anytime soon, especially now that he and Sylvain were in the same drama class. Maybe Felix would be invited to Sylvain's wedding, which would probably be to some beautiful woman that he'd meet at college. What if Sylvain asked Felix to be his _best man_? God, that was an awful thought.

Later, after the dancing had died down, Dorothea suggested that they put on the Heathers movie so the students could familiarize themselves with the plot and characters. There was a general assent with this idea, and the movie was subsequently shoved into the dvd player. The living room furniture was returned to its rightful place. Felix took a seat on the end of the couch, Ingrid by his side and Annette sitting on the floor by his feet. 

Felix was surprised to find himself legitimately enjoying the movie. It was violent, clever, and steered clear of sappy emotions entirely. Perfect.

Veronica and Heather were at the frat party when Annette jumped up from her place on the floor. At Felix's questioning glance, she whispered that she and Mercedes needed to go ice the birthday cake now. The two of them disappeared through the doorway. Felix noticed Lysithea watching them leave. He wondered if she was originally supposed to help Annette; she was a lover of cake and sweets after all. 

Lysithea caught him staring. Her conflicted expression gave way to one of guilt, and she averted his eyes. Maybe she figured that Annette had told him about the fight. Felix turned his attention back to the movie.

A short while later, Annette made a dramatic reappearance.

"Pause the movie!" she squealed, "It's time for _birthday cake_!" Annette was standing in the entryway, a huge chocolate cake in her hands. Eighteen lit candles adorned the top of the cake, casting eerie shadows on Annette's face.

"Annette, let Mercedes hold the cake!" someone shouted urgently from the back of the room. Felix agreed. Annette holding anything that was currently lit on fire was a disaster waiting to happen.

Annette flushed. "Good idea," she said, embarrassed. She quickly placed the cake in the Mercedes more capable and steady hands.

After that, the partygoers gathered around Ingrid to sing her happy birthday. Smiling, she blew out the candles. She did not comply with demands that she divulge what her wish had been. Annette enlisted Mercedes and Sylvain to help her pass out slices of cake to the guests, one of which Ingrid dug into very enthusiastically. Sylvain approached Felix with a piece of cake in his hands and a sly grin on his face. He feinted like he was going to try to hand it to Felix before breaking down laughing and turning to pass it to Ashe instead. 

When the cake had been passed out and the movie resumed, Annette sat back down at Felix's feet. He could tell by the set of her shoulders that something was bothering her. 

He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "What's wrong?" She did not respond.

Felix let out a beleaguered sigh. "Annette, what is it?" 

Annette exhaled sharply through her nose. "It's nothing. It's silly." Felix waited silently for her to elaborate. 

"Ugh its just," she begun, leaning back to whisper to him, "I didn't get a piece of cake. There wasn't enough for everyone." She sounded legitimately upset. "I'm going to go help Mrs Galetea clean up," she muttered as she rose from the ground. She was gone a second later.

Felix quickly scanned the room, his gaze snagging on Sylvain, who was leaning against the wall to his left. Felix was on him in a second.

"Give me your cake," he whispered urgently. 

Sylvain looked down at him in confusion. "What? Why? You don't even like sweets."

"It's not for me you idiot, it's for Annette. She didn't get any."

Sylvain's expression softened. "Oh, sure then," he said sheepishly, handing the confectionery over.

Cake in hand, Felix dashed to the other side of the room where Lysithea was sitting in the corner near Edelgard and her posse. 

"Hubert for the last time, I'm _sorry_. I didn't mean to not tell you," Edelgard was whispering harshly. 

"Excuse me for being upset that you forgot to tell me that you switched out of a class we'd agreed to take _together,_ " Hubert snapped back. Felix ignored them, instead turning his attention to Lysithea. 

"Hey," he began, "I need to talk with you for a second." Lysithea bit her lip and looked around furtively. Felix hoped she didn't think he was going to chew her out. Lysithea and Felix had a relationship more akin to colleagues than actual friends since they worked on tech together and had only met the previous semester when Lysithea entered GHMS as a freshman, but despite Felix's seniority, neither of them had ever acted like Felix had any authority over her.

Felix gave her a pointed look. " _Fine_ ," she acquiesced. Once they were in the hallway, Felix shoved the cake into Lysithea's hands. 

"Wha-"

Felix cut her off. "Give this to Annette, and _apologize,_ " he grit out. Lysithea opened her mouth to protest before snapping it shut again.

"Thank you, Felix," she said quietly. Felix just rolled his eyes and pointed her towards the kitchen.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Sylvain doing a horrible job of inconspicuously watching him from the doorway. Felix raised an eyebrow at him.

"That was very nice of you, Felix. Maybe we'll make a perfect gentleman out of you after all!" Sylvain said, smirking. His eyes were liquid in the dim light of the hall.

"Ha," Felix said sarcastically. He grabbed Sylvain by the sleeve and pulled him back into the party. 

* * *

Hours later, party had wound down significantly. Kids left Ingrid's house in twos and threes, leaving an increasingly intimate circle of people behind. The movie had long been over and someone had turned on the radio instead, thankfully at a much lower volume this time. Dimitri had driven himself home half an hour before, claiming he had some huge chemistry test on Monday, which left Felix effectively stranded. He was currently curled up in an armchair while Ingrid, Sylvain, and Ashe slouched on the couch. Ingrid was half asleep, her blonde head resting gently on Sylvain's broad shoulders.

Felix felt his eyelids droop. It was late and he was tired; he was so tired...

"Hey"

" _Felix,_ hey." Someone was shaking Felix's shoulder. Blearily, he opened his eyes. 

Sylvain's visage swam before him. "What?" he mumbled.

Sylvain smiled softly. "It's late; let me drive you home." Felix sat up, looking around. Ingrid was now fully passed out on the couch and Ashe was nowhere to be seen. 

Giving that he had no other options, Felix begrudgingly accepted Sylvain's offer. He held out a hand, which Felix clasped, and Sylvain hauled him to his feet. They said a brief goodbye to Mr and Mrs Galetea, and then they were out the door.

The drive home was blissfully silent. Felix held his eyes half-closed as if he were falling asleep again, but he was really just drinking in Sylvain's appearance from underneath his eyelashes. The streetlights they passed cast shadows and light across his features. Felix wondered what he would do if Felix put his hand over Sylvain's on the gear shift. For some reason, he really wanted to try.

He didn't.

Sylvain pulled up to Felix's house and put the car in park. He jumped out of the car and rushed around to Felix's side to open the door for him. Felix huffed out a laugh as Sylvain threw it open with a dramatic flourish. 

"We've arrived, sir," he laughed, his trademark goofy smile on his face again. Felix heaved himself out of the car, and then they were just standing there together on the darkened street.

"Did you have a good time tonight?" Sylvain asked. 

Felix nodded, finding that he really had enjoyed it. 

"Good," he said simply. "Goodnight then. See you on Monday."

"Goodnight," Felix replied. He walked briskly up the driveway, wanting to get out of the cold as soon as possible. 

He was turning his key in the lock on the front door when he noticed that Sylvain's car was still out front, idling by the curb. Confused, Felix swung the door open and stepped into his house.

When Sylvain disappeared down the block a moment later, he realized that Sylvain had been making sure he got inside safely. 


End file.
